The ReFORMatory

PJ’s for Little Cowboys from Vintage Flannel Fabric

2012-01-02T16:20:00.000-05:00

If you don’t subscribe to Etsy newsletters and are not aware, this week they changed the default setting for searches to finding ‘relevant products’ first. This means that items with your search terms will appear at the top, not necessarily in the order of most recently listed. I have also been trying to revise my listing titles and tags to

Miniature Journal Pendants are Available

2011-08-18T15:44:00.001-04:00

Well I’ve finished the 1st batch of my mini journals and added some chains & chords. Since I’m using these little clip art squares from an old catalog, they feature different pictures on the front & back covers, it’s fun sorting through the book looking for two I like together. I particularly like the one with the old typewriter and adding machine keys. One of the nice things about them is that

Old Sewing Patterns for Sale

2011-08-12T15:44:00.000-04:00

I've started listing some old patterns on Ebay. I need to clear out clutter in my craft room. Most all of these patterns are from a company I'm not too familiar with called "Sewing Step-by-Step" and they are from the 1990's. They are uncut, never used and have multiple sizes in each pattern. There are patterns for blouses, dresses, skirts and more to come when I finish scanning the covers &

Industrial Chic Necklace

2011-08-09T16:25:00.000-04:00

I relisted my necklace made from a recycled auto part at my Etsy shop. The curved piece in the middle is called a c-clip & I think it’s used mainly on the brakes, but you can find variations of these parts for other uses. I added some dangles made from agate stones and shells and put on some old vintage buttons with beaded centers, a gunmetal chain makes the length adjustable. My husband

Bathroom Window Valance

2011-08-07T20:35:00.000-04:00

I finally got around to finishing & hanging my bathroom valance. We renovated the bath over a year ago and a few months later I can across a remnant at Joann’s Fabrics that matched the tile I used to repair the windowsill. I originally planned to make a horn & swag valance, but the pattern showed it was cut on a curve, which didn’t go with the square background on the print. I put it aside for

Closing my Artfire Shop

2011-08-03T23:02:00.000-04:00

This weekend I will be closing down my Artfire shop. I had tried it as a supplement to my Etsy store, adding items that I didn’t relist right and had recently listed old sewing patterns to weed out my inventory. I’d only set it up on their basic plan, which is free and only had 3 sales in 2 years. Artfire is now eliminating the basic membership

Miniature Journal Pendants

2011-08-02T11:12:00.002-04:00

I’ve been working on these for a few weeks. I was inspired by a metal charm in the shape of a book. I decided to recycle a bunch of junk mail, scrap paper, magazines and clip art from an old letrastat catalog (picked up in thrift store). I’ve never handmade a zine or book before, I figured a mini one would be a good start. The journals only have about 8 pages, depending on how small you can

Mini Purse Earrings

2011-07-31T22:38:00.000-04:00

My latest creation, a birthday gift for a great friend. Took some small scraps of ultra suede and made tiny pouches, gathered the top & crimped on a ribbon end. Then attached some recycle bits of chain for handles. I originally picked out a lighter beige faceted bead for the top, but the shape was too flat, didn’t like it. I needed a more oblong bead. Spent forever trying to locate 2 matching

Acorn Earrings

2011-07-26T17:18:00.003-04:00

Acorn Earrings, a photo by b-a-boop on Flickr. I threw these together just this morning. I got dressed, put on a necklace to match my top & then went to my big earring cabinet & found nothing that went. Then in a dish on the dresser I spotted 2 pairs of sterling silver earrings I picked up at an antique fair about a year ago. They were both screw back earrings & I had intended to convert them.

Upcycled Find of the Day

2011-07-20T10:51:00.000-04:00

Today on etsy I found this lovely Hidden Treasures Vintage Boho Necklace from tomrass4. A beautiful shop with jewelry upcycled from vintage parts and a french inspiration. I particularly like the way she patinas some of the old metals. Lovely stuff in her shop.

Vintage Find of the Day

2011-07-13T11:38:00.000-04:00

The ultimate way to recycle "BUY VINTAGE" Check out these cool old tokens from jnwalljr aka 'I've been working on the railroad' on Etsy. They could just be collected as-is, or used for jewelry or buttons or scrapbooking, so many possibilities.

Pineapple Pillow

2011-07-12T11:28:00.000-04:00

Funny how when it comes to sewing for myself a lot of my projects end up unfinished. I too often get sidetracked by projects for the shops or presents I need to be make. Years ago I made a bunch of pillows for Christmas presents and started two for myself. Well after years of sitting in my unfinished pile, I finally finished off my pineapple pillow. All it needed was the velco sewn in

Featured Handmade Item

2011-07-10T22:17:00.000-04:00

Stained Glass and Filigree Pendant Found today on Etsy. It's unique shape and lovely soft tones really impressed me. Get this lovely handmade stained glass pendant from Color Shoppe Studio

Recently Found Old Books

2011-07-08T14:36:00.002-04:00

Sketchbook - recent find #1, a photo by b-a-boop on Flickr. I recently found two things I thought I’d lost for good. One is my sketchpad of Fashion Design from back in college in the late 70’s. The other was one of our textbooks on Pattern Drafting and Grading. The textbook was republished in 1977, but you can tell by the page that the designs are older than that. I love the vintage looks in

Blue on Blue Ponytail Holder

2011-07-04T12:19:00.000-04:00

Bright blue rosette fabric flower made of recycled t-shirt fabric. See it on Etsy.

Finally Sold

2011-06-29T18:49:00.000-04:00

This was one of the first purses I made for my Etsy shop. After relisting so many times over the past 2 years, it finally found a buyer. I think it was mostly due to the fact that my pictures never did it justice. The white-on-white brocade made it difficult to photograph and even in this photo the color of the lining is way off. It was made from a vintage 1930's McCalls pattern that was my

Brick Wall Attempt 2

2011-06-22T13:33:00.007-04:00

Wall attemp 2, a photo by b-a-boop on Flickr.I've attempted 2 sections of brick painting. The 1st I tried a beige grout color, it came out OK, but I thought it still looked too close to the white. The 2nd section I tried a gray grout (think it's too dull and muddy) and tried to get a bit darker on the bricks. Will be experimenting a bit more in the future, I'm a bit persnickety, want it just so,

New Summer Bloom Bobby Pin just listed on Etsy

2011-06-20T11:05:00.000-04:00

I just listed this lovely summer fabric flower bobby pin on Etsy. It’s made from a vintage 70’s floral print shear voile fabric and a vintage orange button. Brighten your summer wardrobe with this sweet hair accessory.

Dream Kitchen may NEVER be realized

2011-06-09T15:58:00.000-04:00

As we’ve been interviewing & getting contractor quotes for our kitchen renovation, a problem has arisen over the electric. The kitchen was renovated & electric updated in the 70’s, but we knew it would need additional rewiring, as there aren’t enough outlets, not enough dedicated circuits for appliances & some appliances are relocating. There

Faux Painting a Brick Wall

2011-06-08T12:42:00.001-04:00

We have an existing brick wall at the edge of the kitchen which is painted white. We plan to add a counter on top of it when we renovate the kitchen. Today I’m attempting to paint it back to a reddish/tan brick color. I first used a beige color house painted on the grout lines. Then I’m sponging on some various shades of tan to terra cotta to simulate the brick. Hoping it will look good.

Found Objects Coral Table

2011-05-31T17:21:00.002-04:00

coral slab occasional table, a photo by BaubCat on Flickr.My brother-in-law created this incredible coral table from discarded items he found. The broken slab of coral was perfect for the tabletop. He also removed the nice mid-century modern legs from a tossed-out table. He attached three of the four legs, thus enhancing the beautiful freeform edge of the slab. It looks beautiful in the natural

New Treasury - Hometown

2011-05-28T18:09:00.000-04:00

I just created a new Treasury on Etsy. I heard two news stories in the last two days about my home town of Cincinnati. I haven't lived there since I was a child, but have been back to visit a few times. Since it was on my mind, I thought I'd build a treasury on that theme to promote crafters back home. I don't know any of these artists and wasn't able to add all the talent I found by just doing a

Kitchen Floor Samples have arrived

2011-05-19T11:26:00.000-04:00

We ordered some samples of the marmoleum floor for our kitchen. The sample pieces are only the top linoleum layer, but the floor comes in engineered pieces that click together, so they install easily as a floating floor. I spent the last couple days playing around with ideas for patterns using the 3 bottom colors. I pasted into the drawing the countertop swatch & stretched it over the

Craftzine Blog

2011-05-17T10:44:00.003-04:00

Camera Pillow Boxes, a photo by b-a-boop on Flickr. A flickr photo of mine that I added to the CRAFT pool was featured on their blog. Thanks CRAFT!!!, it gave my flickrstream a nice boost. You'll notice that I have a link in my sidebar to MAKEzine, which oversees CRAFT. They are both great fun to follow and the best resources for creativity. These pillow boxes I threw together at the last

Handmade Journal

2011-05-01T12:51:00.005-04:00

Handmade Journal, a photo by b-a-boop on Flickr. OMG I admire people who craft handmade journals so much more now that I made my 1st one. A couple hours just looking through my collection of buttons, fabrics, scrapbook paper, lace, etc. Then almost a full day on each of the front & back covers - switching out items, rearranging buttons & such. I know I’m way too persnickety & indecisive. I

Old Houses always throw you a monkey wrench

2011-04-21T17:43:00.000-04:00

Not sure what's to come with my kitchen. The latest contractor to come out and give me an estimate brought along his electrician since I told him the house was built in 1947. I knew we would be rewiring the whole kitchen because there aren't enough outlets, some aren't properly grounded & we're rearranging most of it too. But the electrician asked to look at the meter & main panel & told me that

Demolishing the Kitchen

2011-04-21T12:46:00.003-04:00

Demolishing the floor, a photo by b-a-boop on Flickr.It's a nasty job, one 6" strip at a time I'm removing the ugly vinyl kitchen floor. Underneath is a 12"x12" vinyl or linoleum floor (a bit less ugly, makes me wish I'd pulled up this first one years ago). It will also have to come up & then there is the original linoleum in red & black. Hopefully I can leave that bottom layer as the marmoleum

Some unique shops that were set-up at the Odd Duck

2011-04-14T12:01:00.000-04:00

Reinvintage Jewelry made with log ReClaim2Fame BlueberrryShoes

A Busy Day at the Craft Fair

2011-04-10T15:16:00.086-04:00

Purses from The ReFORMatory We had a huge crowd at yesterdays Odd Duck Indie Craft Fair. The crowds were almost too much for a while. And it was so hot too, but the afternoon finally brought us a breeze. So many incredible artists and crafters with just fabulous products. I hope some of you south Floridians made it over to see us. And we had live music that was so pleasant to hear. Check out

Working on Display Ideas

2011-04-07T11:48:00.000-04:00

I’m working on some ideas for my display at the Odd Duck Craft Fair. Excuse the lousy photo quality, my dining room has very poor lighting. And of course excuse the clutter in the background. Hope to see you on Saturday.

Upcycled Tommy Hilfiger Laptop Case

2011-04-04T11:21:00.001-04:00

I finally got around to making another recycled shirt & tie laptop case. I’d had the shirt & ties hanging around for a while, but I let other projects get in ahead of it. The wonderful Tommy Hilfiger shirt & 2 neckties were found in thrift stores. I also lined the bag with an upcycled sweatshirt. I was happy to find an Oleg Cassini button in my collection that matched perfectly for buttoning it

Black Velvet Evening Bag

2011-04-01T12:39:00.004-04:00

Black Velvet Evening Bag, a photo by b-a-boop on Flickr. Another handbag ready for the Odd Duck Bazaar. Don't forget, next saturday April 9th at noon in Davie, Fl. If it doesn't sell, after the fair, find it on Etsy.

Handmade Wallet

2011-03-30T23:20:00.002-04:00

Handmade Wallet, a photo by b-a-boop on Flickr.Bob asked me to make him something for his birthday with less than a week to go. I wasn’t sure what I could whip up, but then I spotted his worn old wallet & remembered that I had bought him a new one over a year ago which he didn’t like, so I had returned it. I took his old one, snapped a few photos to refer back to, measured it & sketched it up.

Photography Related Upcycled Giftwrap

2011-03-28T16:51:00.000-04:00

Today is my husbands birthday & in honor of his great talent in photography, I wrapped his presents in that theme. I created a gift bag by recycling two pages from an old Ansel Adams wall calendar. Inside I added two pillow boxes recycled from pages in a photography book. I think he was wishing each of those antique cameras were in the bag.

Patchwork Purse for The Odd Duck Bazaar

2011-03-19T16:23:00.005-04:00

Patchwork Purse a photo by b-a-boop on Flickr.A new patchwork purse ready for the upcoming Odd Duck Bazaar. The patchwork fabrics are from the 70's. Back then I started forming small patches from a large box of scraps that were going to be a quilt. Eventually I decided some fabrics weren't sturdy enough for the quilt, so I just had a bunch of 4 piece patches. I added a corduroy lining with a

New Hair Bobbies

2011-03-04T14:48:00.004-05:00

New Hair Bobbies a photo by b-a-boop on Flickr. I’ve been working up a few new items for my upcoming craft show. Made some new bobby pins from some small vintage quilting squares and some buttons and some beads. I just love using up some of my old old fabrics, but the pile never seems to get smaller. Yellow and blue now on Etsy

Latest Kitchen Design

2011-02-24T17:26:00.000-05:00

This is my latest 3D drawing for my new kitchen. I’m using a free program online, so it’s a bit limited and a real pain sometimes. I had to draw in a white fridge in because the stainless weren’t the right size, scale was more important than color. They also didn’t have a microwave cabinet, so I had to build my own & create a microwave to size.

The Big Show - Odd Duck Handmade Craft Fair

2011-02-19T17:20:00.001-05:00

I'm so excited, I've been accepted as a vendor at the Odd Duck Handmade Bazaar and Indie Craft Fair. It's coming up on April 9, 2011 in Davie, Fl. I'll be under the big tent outside. It's hosted by the Hollywood Craft Mafia. Come out and support all of our local talented independent crafters and artists and buy something unique. I'm also excited to visit the Old Davie School Museum where it's

New Hair Flowers

2011-02-18T22:44:00.001-05:00

I’ve been making more fabric flower scrunchies. It’s fun combining all my different scraps and getting a variety of looks.

I won a Raffle / Pottery

2011-02-09T18:08:00.000-05:00

A few weekends ago we went up to Lake Placid, Fl for the annual Art League Fair. My mom is a member. I won one of their raffles, this beautiful handmade pottery featuring a lovely oak leaf & acorn. It has on it. It’s from The Hands of Man Pottery in Lake Wales, FL.

Handmade Earrings for Mom

2011-02-02T12:15:00.001-05:00

I made these sweet little copper and beaded earrings for my mom for her birthday. She wore them right away & they looked great on her. I’ll try and make a pair for the shop soon, think they are a nice simple design.

Mid-Century Modern Kitchen

2011-01-21T18:11:00.002-05:00

Mid-Century Modern Kitchen Originally uploaded by RoadsidepicturesA great flickr find of a mid-century modern kitchen. This is the look I want for my new kitchen. Flat front cabinets, today they call them European, but I guess we started them in the 50's. I like the floor too.

When it comes to Kitchens, It’s Not Easy Being Green

2011-01-14T19:23:00.000-05:00

…at least not if you’re trying to be affordable. When we began planning our new kitchen, we hoped to build green. We wanted energy efficient appliances, cabinets from sustainable materials with low VOC glues & finishes, recycled countertops, green flooring. Well that’s all well & good if you’re a Rockerfeller. Most of the kitchen sites we looked at say it’s not a whole lot more to buy green

Floral Broach

2011-01-10T15:38:00.001-05:00

This floral broach (another recent gift I made) was made using a method for a choux that I found in a book on draperies. You take a square of fabric, fold it over diagonally to form a triangle, right sides together. Make a running stitch along the folded edge and leave a tail. Make another running stitch along adjacent raw edges and meet, leaving a tail at the same corner. Pin that corner to a

Pruitt Hand Crafts

2010-12-28T21:54:00.000-05:00

This month's Featured EtsyBlogger - congratulations to Linda of pruitthandcrafts. She has been so productive she had 3 Etsy shops, but she’s closing one, so hurry and visit http://PruittDesign.etsy.com for her 50% off sale till Jan. 15th. You will get some great looking jewelry at a fantastic price. (I have trouble keeping up one shop, don’t

Necktie Scarf

2010-12-28T14:21:00.000-05:00

A gift for my nephew. Another scarf I created from neckties. I pieced 3 together in alternating directions & added some fringe.

Earring Tree

2010-12-20T11:48:00.001-05:00

Well no wonder I’m behind on Christmas shopping, I’m still making birthday gifts. Here’s an earring tree I made for my big sis. I used odds and ends from my stash to embellish a picture frame and then added a piece of plastic needlepoint canvas covered with some lace to the center. It can either be hung on the wall or stood in an easel.

Visit The ReFORMatory in person

2010-12-02T17:06:00.002-05:00

Don’t forget, this Saturday Dec. 4th, 2010 the ReFORMatory will be setting up shop at the Pink Ghost Mini Market, 1888 Polk Street, Hollywood, Fl - 1 to 5 PM. Check out some new hair accessories, fun new ball chain necklaces, pillows, handbags, totebags, and other handmade goodies. Take I-95 to Hollywood Blvd. Head east into the downtown. Just before Young Circle turn left on 19th Ave. Go

A Batch of Flower Hair Clips for my Niece

2010-11-28T21:48:00.000-05:00

Here are the hair clips and bobby pins I made for my niece for her birthday. She wears a lot of bright colors, so I made a broad range of designs. She also loves butterflies and I recently found the enamel shoe clips but thought they were a bit heavy for shoes, so I incorporated them into the flowers. I enjoy experimenting with different ways to create the petals, and I especially like the two

Schoolbook Tote Bag

2010-11-23T12:40:00.000-05:00

This is the tote bag I made for my niece. She wanted one strong enough for her schoolbooks. Her favorite color is purple, so she chose the few pieces of fabric in my collection that had purple in them. I combined them with recycled jeans and lined it on the inside with remnants from a fleece sweatshirt I made myself many years ago. The handles

EtsyBlogger of the Month - Devine Designs Jewelry

2010-11-22T12:59:00.000-05:00

Congrats to Cindy, a fellow Floridian. Cindy is an incredible jewelry designer. She works in beads and metal craft (copper, silver, twisted wire) to create many unique pieces. Look at these wonderful items in her etsy shop Devine Designs Jewelry. And don’t forget to read her blog for her latest

Eco Friendly and Recycled Inspiration

2010-11-18T21:42:00.004-05:00

What can I make from items I already have on hand? Can I put something together that doesn’t require me having to go buy anything new? That’s always my first question when I start a new project, be it an item for my shop, a gift for someone special or a project around the house. This month I created two purses from old fabric pieces and zippers & buttons I already had on hand. For my upcoming

Upcoming Event

2010-11-15T12:36:00.003-05:00

On Saturday Dec. 4, 2010 the ReFORMatory will be setting up shop at the Pink Ghost Mini Market, 1888 Polk Street, Hollywood, Fl - Noon to 5 PM. Come shop for pillows, handbags, jewelry, accessories and other handmade recycled / upcycled crafts.

Gorgeous Fall Colors Wristlet Purse

2010-11-09T17:15:00.001-05:00

I’ve created a new, OOAK wristlet from sample swatches of designer upholstery fabric. On the bottom, a gorgeous textured striped fabric in lovely fall colors. It is topped with a warm ruby colored worsted wool band & handle. I also added a lovely handmade fabric flower with a vintage button center, made from the wool and another small upholstery sample remnant. I used up almost every inch of my

I’m a Finalist

2010-10-27T14:18:00.000-04:00

Two of my creations have made the finals in the Recycled Denim Challenge on Ecouterre. I’m so excited to be part of this eco friendly competition. Ecouterre and it’s mother website Inhabitat are great eco/green websites to explore for inspiration, wonderful new designs and creative creations. There are links on my sidebar if you’d like to vote for me or explore the other finalists in the

Jack-O-Lanterns through the Years

2010-10-26T14:12:00.001-04:00

Today I’ll be going out to buy a pumpkin or two for this year. We usually cook them to use for pumpkin pies. But our favorite part is coming up with a new Jack-o-lantern each year. These are a few from years past. The internet has now become our greatest source for ideas.

Jetson’s Halloween Costumes

2010-10-18T11:18:00.011-04:00

I’ve been making Halloween costumes my whole life. Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays, probably cause I loved playing dress-ups as a kid. My mom made our costumes when we were little (wish I still had some of those vintage patterns). So having a handmade costume is always preferable to me. It wasn’t easy trying to decide a

Latest Upcycled Handbag at the ReFORMatory

2010-10-14T11:25:00.002-04:00

My newest handbag was made by upcycling a placemat I recently bought. I loved the colors in the print. I found a nice cotton quilt remnant from my mother-in-law’s stash that coordinated nicely. I incorporated it into the sides, handles & inside pockets. I also used a corduroy remnant for trim. Look for it on Etsy.

The Yellow Green Farmers Market is here

2010-10-12T10:23:00.001-04:00

After months of delay, the Yellow Green Farmer’s Market opened in Hollywood. It’s an open-air market featuring local produce, gourmet foods, tee-shirt shops, arts and craft booths and health and beauty items for green living. With space for over 300 vendors it’s a much-needed fresh green market for South Florida. I’m hoping it’s very successful.

Splendid Little Stars - Etsy Blogger of the Month

2010-10-11T10:33:00.000-04:00

I love visiting this blog, Splendid Little Stars, it is such a comfortable place to hang out. Margaret is a great photographer and her beautiful peaceful nature photos are usually accompanied by nice poetry or stories. She also features adorable photos and narratives from her kitty cats. A great place to hang out when you need to distress

Stitch Rock 2010 Indie Craft Fair

2010-09-30T00:03:00.000-04:00

One of the largest Indie Craft Fairs in south Florida is this weekend in Delray. I’m so looking forward to going to Stitch Rock. Maybe next year I’ll have it together in time to get myself a booth. It’s the 4th year, but will be my first visit. Over 70 vendors and many can also be found on etsy. Follow my link for all the event info.

Latest Purse

2010-09-27T12:59:00.001-04:00

Wow, this was more of a challenge than expected. The beige fabric on the upper part of the purse started unraveling before I finished sewing it together. I had to hand weave it back together as it was all of the fabric that I had. Then once I finished the purse, the old recycled zipper I used got stuck and when I tried to close it, the cloth part ripped. I didn’t think I’d be able to get a new

Our Handmade Wedding

2010-09-20T11:55:00.000-04:00

Our wedding was a small family affair in our own back yard. With the help of friends and family, we made most everything for our wedding. We wrote our own vows and we created & printed our own invitations. I restored my grandmothers 1920’s wedding dress (it had major damage to the silk fabric) and my mother helped me sew the rest of the clothes

Off Subject

2010-09-19T16:03:00.000-04:00

I know its unrelated to crafting, decorating and recycling, but I just created a second blog. This one is my travel blog. My husband and I just returned from an Alaskan cruise, so I decided to create a separate blog for our travel tales & photos, take a look if you're interested. Escaping Our Everyday

Patch First – Etsyblogger of the Month

2010-08-22T15:05:00.000-04:00

Planning an upcoming wedding? Attending a wedding soon? Then you should visit Patch’s Wedding Guide Blog . It’s chockfull of photos & info about the latest looks & styles, hairstyles, diamond buying advise, etc. And then it’s off to patch’s Bridal jewelry & accessories shop where you can have custom made stuff or just get something for yourself to wear to a wedding. Not into the

New Hair Accessories

2010-08-15T14:15:00.001-04:00

I’ve put together some hairbands, clips, bobby pins and scrunchies from my fabric flowers. see them at The ReFORMAtory on Etsy

Butterfly Birthday Cake

2010-08-10T10:47:00.000-04:00

Well I usually don’t blog much about cooking because it’s more of a chore to me than a pleasure. I really have to be in the mood (thank goodness my hubby LOVES cooking and is GREAT at it). But I do enjoy sculpting cakes now and then & over the weekend I created a butterfly cake for our great niece’s birthday. She said it was “awesome”. It took me hours to do, I wondered how I get these crazy

Earrings Upcycled into Pendants

2010-08-05T11:12:00.001-04:00

I turned some old earrings into pendants. My friend gave me a big bag full of old jewelry she no longer wanted & I was inspired to turn some post earrings into pendants. I made the 1st one for her for her birthday, also incorporating some beads from other earrings in the bag. Then I made a second for my shop. The other 2 are still to come, don’t have enough of all the beads to repeat these two.

Summer Flowers

2010-07-29T14:59:00.001-04:00

This summer I was inspired to finally work on some fabric flowers. I’ve started with some from vintage fabric scraps I’ve had since the 70’s and old buttons. I intend to use them for hair accessories and to decorated some purses & wristlets. Soon I will also try some other flower patterns using knit strips.

Recycling a Children’s Book into a Scrapbook

2010-07-15T11:15:00.001-04:00

I recently put together a scrapbook of photos for my father-in-law. He and the family spent many summers in Connecticut where he worked as an entertainer at a summer resort called Banner Lodge. We had quite a few photos from over the years & I was inspired by an idea a saw in a library book “Mixed-Media Journals: Creatively Chronicling Your Life” by Katherine Duncan Aimone. I began by

Sykin - Etsy Blogger of the Month

2010-07-15T08:54:00.000-04:00

Missie of Sykin is a great all around Etsy supporter, you can go to her blog daily & find a newly featured etsy item. And she has 2 shops on Etsy herself. One features item from the Pacific NorthWest and the other has Twilight inspired items. Lets give her back our support.

Handmade Onesies and Booties

2010-07-06T21:14:00.002-04:00

We recently celebrated a baby shower for my niece who is expecting her third child. It was a lovely tea party, and she got so many cute things. Not having any kids myself, I rarely make baby clothes. It was fun to work on something different, but not easy working with such tiny items. I sketched up my own patterns and decorated 2 onesies for her and found a pattern online for booties. Most of

4th of July Weekend

2010-07-02T13:06:00.000-04:00

Here in America it’s time to celebrate Independence Day. I love fireworks, the louder the better. We get to watch them on the beach each year. (One of BaubCat's creative photos)So celebrate your independence from commercial goods and check out some patriotic themed items from our EtsyBloggers Team. 2nd Chance Treasures Projects by Jane Create a Thought

Good Times at the Etsy Craft Party

2010-06-20T23:02:00.000-04:00

I had a great time friday night at our local Etsy Craft Party, hosted by the Hollywood Craft Mafia. They did a great job organizing the party (check out their meet-up schedule for future events). It was so much fun, over 50 people and everyone working away on making stamps and wristlets. I met so many interesting folks and it was a pleasure being together with other crafters. I forgot my

Shop for Independance

2010-06-14T10:57:00.001-04:00

I created a treasury for 4th of July items, check out the cute buys.

Beaded Tail – the Esty Blogger of the Month

2010-06-10T11:31:00.001-04:00

Do you love dogs and cats? How about some cute jewelry with animal themes or perhaps a ruffled collar cover for your own pet. Then head over to the Beaded Tail shop on etsy. Not only will you be able to purchase lovely handmade stuff, but a portion of ALL sales benefit Animal Charities (so wonderful). And for your entertainment head over to the beaded tail blog for some adorable stories and